Psychotherapy for subclinical depression: Meta-analysis
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Psychotherapy for subclinical depression : Meta-analysis. / Cuijpers, Pim; Koole, Sander L.; Van Dijke, Annemiek et al.
In: British Journal of Psychiatry, Vol. 205, No. 4, 01.10.2014, p. 268-274.Research output: Journal contributions › Scientific review articles › Research
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Psychotherapy for subclinical depression
T2 - Meta-analysis
AU - Cuijpers, Pim
AU - Koole, Sander L.
AU - Van Dijke, Annemiek
AU - Roca, Miquel
AU - Li, Juan
AU - Reynolds, Charles F.
PY - 2014/10/1
Y1 - 2014/10/1
N2 - Background: There is controversy about whether psychotherapies are effective in the treatment of subclinical depression, defined by clinically relevant depressive symptoms in the absence of a major depressive disorder. Aims: To examine whether psychotherapies are effective in reducing depressive symptoms, reduce the risk of developing major depressive disorder and have comparable effects to psychological treatment of major depression. Method: We conducted a meta-analysis of 18 studies comparing a psychological treatment of subclinical depression with a control group. Results: The target groups, therapies and characteristics of the included studies differed considerably from each other, and the quality of many studies was not optimal. Psychotherapies did have a small to moderate effect on depressive symptoms against care as usual at the post-test assessment (g = 0.35, 95% CI 0.23-0.47; NNT = 5, 95% CI 4-8) and significantly reduced the incidence of major depressive episodes at 6 months (RR = 0.61) and possibly at 12 months (RR = 0.74). The effects were significantly smaller than those of psychotherapy for major depressive disorder and could be accounted for by non-specific effects of treatment. Conclusions: Psychotherapy may be effective in the treatment of subclinical depression and reduce the incidence of major depression, but more high-quality research is needed.
AB - Background: There is controversy about whether psychotherapies are effective in the treatment of subclinical depression, defined by clinically relevant depressive symptoms in the absence of a major depressive disorder. Aims: To examine whether psychotherapies are effective in reducing depressive symptoms, reduce the risk of developing major depressive disorder and have comparable effects to psychological treatment of major depression. Method: We conducted a meta-analysis of 18 studies comparing a psychological treatment of subclinical depression with a control group. Results: The target groups, therapies and characteristics of the included studies differed considerably from each other, and the quality of many studies was not optimal. Psychotherapies did have a small to moderate effect on depressive symptoms against care as usual at the post-test assessment (g = 0.35, 95% CI 0.23-0.47; NNT = 5, 95% CI 4-8) and significantly reduced the incidence of major depressive episodes at 6 months (RR = 0.61) and possibly at 12 months (RR = 0.74). The effects were significantly smaller than those of psychotherapy for major depressive disorder and could be accounted for by non-specific effects of treatment. Conclusions: Psychotherapy may be effective in the treatment of subclinical depression and reduce the incidence of major depression, but more high-quality research is needed.
KW - Psychology
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84908148736&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/48ca28eb-3353-3053-899b-45c62e3e0ae4/
U2 - 10.1192/bjp.bp.113.138784
DO - 10.1192/bjp.bp.113.138784
M3 - Scientific review articles
C2 - 25274315
AN - SCOPUS:84908148736
VL - 205
SP - 268
EP - 274
JO - British Journal of Psychiatry
JF - British Journal of Psychiatry
SN - 0007-1250
IS - 4
ER -